Energy metabolism and body

temperature
 Outline of the lecture
Section 1 Energy Metabolism
1. Energy storage, liberation, transfer and
utilization
2. Energy balance
3. Metabolic rate
Section 2 Body Temperature
1. Body temperature
2. Balance between heat production and heat loss
3. Regulation of the body temperature
 Metabolism

Anabolism Catabolism

material require material release

synthesis energy breakdown energy

material energy
metabolism metabolism
Energy storage, liberation, transfer and utilization
 Energy balance
Energy input = energy output

heat
Food heat heat
ATP
cellular functions heat

metabolism
Food heat
 metabolic rate
 amount of energy liberated from a living
organism per unit of time

 expressed in terms of the rate of heat

liberation during the chemical reactions
 Metabolic rate
Measurement of the metabolic rate
Direct calorimetry
Indirect calorimetry
 Caloric value / thermal equivalent of food
 Oxygen consumption / thermal equivalent of
oxygen （1 L）
 Respiratory quotient （CO2 / O2）
 Factors that affect the metabolic rate
1. Exercise
Exercise produces an increase in metabolic rate
2. Ingestion of food
Increase metabolic rate
The specific dynamic action of protein
3. Emotional state
4. Environmental temperature
20-30 °C have stable metabolic rate
< 20 or >30°C , metabolic rate is increased
5. Other factors (sleep, sex, etc.)
 Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

 Metabolic rate during basal conditions

 Minimum level of energy required for life
 Useful for diagnosing the diseases:
– Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism
 Basal conditions
 must not have eaten food for at least 12 hours
 after a night of restful sleep
 no strenuous activity is performed for at least 1
hour before the test
 all psychic factors that cause excitement must be
eliminated
 the temperature of the air must be comfortable and
between 25 – 30 °C
 no physical activity is permitted during the test
 Section 2 Body temperature

 Skin temperature
– temperature of the skin and tissues immediately underlying the
skin.
– rises and falls with the temperature of the surroundings

 Core temperature
– the temperature of the deep tissues of the body – the “core” of
the body.
– remains almost exactly constant, varying not more than 1 ℃
– Rectal T: 36.9-37.9 ℃
– Oral T: 36.7-37.7 ℃
– Axillary T: 36.0-37.4 ℃
Range of body temperature
Factors affecting normal temperature
1. Circadian rhythm
In the early morning, the body T is the lowest.
In late afternoon or early evening, it is the highest.
2. Age
Newborn child > adult > old person
3. Sex
Women > man 0.3 °C
4. Muscular activity
Increase T
5. Other factors: emotion, eating, change in climate
 Balancing between heat production
and heat loss
 1. Heat production
– (1) BMR of all the cells
– (2) Extra metabolism caused by
 muscle activity

 the the effect of hormone (thyroxine, growth hormone and

testosterone)
 the effect of epinephrine, norepinephrine and sympathetic

stimulation on the cells

 increased chemical activity in the cells themselves
 2. Heat loss
• The major organ to loss heat is the skin
• Blood flow to the skin from the body
core provides heat transfer
Methods of heat loss from the skin
to the surroundings
• Evaporation
• 1) Insensible perspiration
• 2) Sweating
A. Innervation of the sweat gland
• Mainly sympathetic cholinergic
• nerve (acetylcholine)
• Caused by nervous reflex

B. Mechanism of sweat secretion

Primary secretion
reabsorption
Sweat (urea, lactic acid, K+ )
 Regulation of the body temperature

1. Behavioral control of the body temperature

For example: In freezing weather, we can
move into a heated room
2. Autonomic control of the body temperature
The temperature of the body is regulated
almost entirely by nervous feedback
mechanism through temperature regulating
centers located in the hypothalamus.
 Feedback mechanisms of regulation
of the body temperature
 1. Temperature receptor
– 1) Peripheral temperature receptor
 A. Locations: skin, mucous, abdominal viscera
 B. Types: cold receptor and warmth receptor
 cold receptor > warmth receptor
– 2) Central temperature receptor
 A. Locations: spinal cord, preoptic and anterior
hypothalamic area of the hypothalamus (PO/AH)
 B. Types: heat-sensitive neurons and cold-sensitive
neurons
 2. Temperature-regulating center
– 1) The thermoregulating center is mainly in the
hypothalamus
– 2) The PO/AH area is the basic thermostatic
temperature controlling center
 3. Efferent pathways: Control of the heat
loss and heat production
– 1) Control of the skin vascular tone and
sweating by sympathetic nerve system
– 2) Changes of the muscular tension by somatic
motor nerve system
– 3) Control of the metabolic rate by altering the
function of endocrine system, mainly the
hormone secretion of the thyroid glands or
adrenal medulla
“Set-point”
37 °C
PO/AH area
T > 37 °C
Production < loss
T < 37 °C
Production > loss
Fever
 Summary
Metabolism
Metabolic rate heat body temperature
BMR

Heat production
“set-point” PO/AH
Heat loss